After a few blissful weeks, Cassie had decided to seek out Ella and Thelma. It felt strange that she hadn't really thought of them for quite a while but she'd been distracted. She felt that she needed to know what Ella's position was now that the End of Days wasn't eminent. It had been several months since she had saved Malachi and seen Ella, but she didn't think that Ella had left.

As is turned out, Ella was still attending school at Mendham, so Cassie waited for her in her room. Upon entering and seeing Cassie, Ella just chuckled.

"Somehow I knew you'd come."

"Really?" Cassie said a bit snotty. "Let's get straight to the point, are you still going to try to kill my son?"

Ella smiled with fake sweetness, "Oh, after our last meeting, I was contacted by my handlers and they called me off," she said. "You wouldn't happen to know why would you?" She was annoyed.

"That explains why I haven't see you. They didn't tell you?"

"They don't feel the need to keep me informed."

Cassie smiled to herself, "Azazeal betrayed Lucifer and refused to give Malachi to him, there was a battle, but ultimately, Malachi convinced Lucifer that if the End of Days were to come, God would just destroy us all, so he should let Malachi help him find some peace. That was a mouthful."

Ella stared at her in disbelief, "You're serious?"

"Yup!"

"After all I've been through…Ahh!"

"It's good news isn't it?"

"Yes, it is, but…well, I've been told to stay here so this is not over."

"I suspect because Malachi could always change his mind," Cassie said.

"Great!" Ella said sarcastically.

"What are you going to do now?"

Ella slumped down in a chair, "Wait, I suppose."

"I think you should meet Malachi. He's not what you think, neither are the fallen angels. He's helping them, you could help too."

"Help?" Ella said skeptically.

"Well it would give you something to do. Just a thought."

Cassie rose to leave and then turned back.

"Where's Thelma?"

"Oh, she's around. I'm sure she'll pop out when you least expect it. You know, she was really hurt when you left."

"I know."

Malachi had gotten quite a system going to find "situations" for the fallen. Some Dominions and Principalities, who really enjoyed organizing the operation and searching for what was needed, assisted him. He also had an endless supply of resources because, as it turned out Azazeal, had amassed quite of bit of money through various nefarious methods and developed many key relationships over the years. Cassie had been shocked at first, but obviously Azazeal wouldn't have a real job. Still, she liked to joke that it was kind of like being in "The Godfather" only weirder. He, of course, flatly refused to abandon any of it.

"Cassie, there are people to be fooled and there always has been."

"But…"

"Besides I'm good at it, people like me," he smiled arrogantly.

She rolled her eyes.

"Fine, but no killing," she tried to say seriously.

"But that's the best part," he sounded disappointed but then smiled again when Cassie raised an eyebrow.

At least it kept him occupied. He had Ramiel and Araqiel as his lieutenants and they seemed to have enough to do to keep them amused while she worked with Malachi

As it turned out, she was excellent at finding the perfect thing for each angel while Malachi dealt with the logistics. They were each more than happy to try to explain, in confusing detail, what exactly it was that they did. It never made much sense but she would eventually manage to boil it down to key elements and come up with a plan. Strangely fewer of them that she expected needed human love in the way that Azazeal appeared to. Most were happy with receiving simple gratitude after they had given something. Oh, there were those, Ramiel the shining example of them, who were lustful, but those desires were separate from what they loved to do.

"Damiel," Cassie exclaimed, "how beautiful!"

He had brought her the most stunning little bunch of flowers that she'd ever scene. The colors were so striking and the perfect shades that pleased her the most.

"I had some spare time and I realized that you haven't seen my work so I thought I would drop by."

"I'm so sorry that I haven't been able to visit you but Araqiel says that you've got more work than you can handle." He beamed, obviously proud of himself.

Damiel had had something to do with the Earth and was a particular lover of the beauty of growing things, so they had helped him open a flower shop. What was so adorable about him and made him so successful, was that he could only create the most perfect arrangement for the intended purpose. People would order something and he could give them a totally different and they would love it. He was probably responsible for more people getting engaged, forgiven, comforted, and made happy than anyone else she new. Of course, he always spent more time on each order than was necessary and never much concerned himself with making money, but he was happy. All they had left to do was find him a nice girl.

Cassie went to get a vase to put the flowers in while Damiel chatted with Malachi. When she went to the kitchen, she was startled to find Thelma with her head deep in the refrigerator.

"Thelma!"

"Do angels actually eat pasta?" was her reply.

"Thelma I've missed you. Please say you've forgiven me."

Thelma looked around the refrigerator door at her.

"You're not getting off that easily. You'll have to beg me and there may need to be dream sex involved," she smiled.

Cassie smiled back.

"You should come out and meet Malachi and the others," Cassie encouraged.

"Oh, I'm not ready for that."

"Why ever not?"

"I've gotten quite used to not being seen, thank you very much, and they're kind of creepy."

"Oh, they are not. Don't you want to be able to talk to more than just me and Ella."

"Yes," she sulked but refused to come out.

Cassie made her promise not to make herself scarce and they parted.

When Cassie returned with the vase, Haniel had come, laughing as usual. Her name meant "Joy of God" and she was always a joy to be around. She had found her own way in the world quite by accident. She had been wandering the streets when she came across and man about the throw himself off a bridge over some lost love. She tapped on his shoulder, smiled at him, and that was that. She's now a counselor for troubled people and he never left her.

Haniel beamed when she saw Cassie.

"I must tell you, oh isn't today gorgeous?"

"Yes, it is. What must you tell me?" Cassie said redirecting her attention.

"Lumiel sent me to tell you…"

"Stop doing what Lumiel says, he…"

"But he's so busy, anyway, he wants to know if there's any laws you think Azazeal would want changed or you too I suppose."

"You can't be serious."

"Why not?" she asked innocently.

"You can't just…" Lumiel was a guide to those who ruled so he had worked his way into an influential position with Parliament. Obviously he had no problem exercising that influence in whatever way he chose.

"You just let me talk to him, tell him to see me."

"But Cassie he's awfully occupied with his work."

"Haniel, dear, he needs see us himself."

"I'll tell him," Haniel smiled brightly. She was easy to convince.

And this is what Cassie's life had become. It was like having hundreds of children to keep track of, but she loved them all. They were so genuine and helpful, even the ones that were devious, like Azazeal, simply enjoyed intrigue and having intricate missions to complete. The challenges were the ones who could not stay. Those would require more thought.

A few weeks later, after being a way for a few days, Azazeal came home and, not being able to keep himself away from Cassie, somewhat abruptly ordered everyone out. She teased him for being so impulsive but in the old Azazeal style, he arrogantly seduced her.

As they moved together and the pleasure grew, Azazeal began to intone words in a foreign tongue as he held fast to her, finally crying out a single word that seemed to encompass all the rest, as his body relaxed and he fell back on the bed, dead to the world. He had done this a couple of times before, but he never spoke of it, so she never asked. One of these days she would, she thought, because when he spoke like that it felt like she was wrapped in the soft, trembling wings that she knew he no longer had.

She carefully slipped out of bed, put her robe on and walked into the other room. She was suddenly startled by the figure of a man out of the corner of her eye and turned to see Lucifer smiling at her.

"Well, you certainly have him wrapped around your little finger don't you?"

"What? What are you doing here?"

"Just visiting." He moved closer. "You don't know what he says to you, do you, and you haven't asked? But you feel it don't you?"

"What? Stop playing, why are you here?" She said as she went to go fuss with some papers on the table.

"It's angelic, of course," Cassie now looked at him, interested, as he paused for effect, "It cannot really be translated exactly, but he professes his love for you in very expressive terms, quite blasphemous actually, but I won't tell," he said with a wicked grin. "And he calls you," Lucifer tiled his head up, half closed his eyes, and said reverently, "Everything."

Cassie gave him a searching look, but she knew he was telling the truth.

"It's almost like being called a god, but not exactly because there are much more specific terms for that," he said as if he were giving a lecture on the angelic language, but caught the worried look on her face and added, "Don't be afraid. I could think far more profound phrases that might actually cause quite a stir," he grinned mysteriously, "but he can't help it, poor boy and might not know he's speaking out loud. But when you take an angel to that place…," and he closed his eyes and shuddered almost imperceptibly, "That maybe why he doesn't tell you. You'd have to feel it."

She was even more confused than before and Lucifer became irritated with her as if she were a thickheaded student.

"Are you paying attention? Obviously not! You echo the divine experience, your love for him, his love for you, and when you create enough physical pleasure, you send him into adoration and ecstasy, it's really quite cute."

"Cute?"

"Oo, I should teach you something to say, that'll really be fun."

"Fun? Lucifer, why are you here?"

She said his name as mother speaks to an errant child.

"I want your help."

"Malachi is helping you."

"Yes, he is, but I think you could help me more."